Another week passes by.
Haah…
Izuna stretches his arm and walks out of the hospital.
"I have recovered from my injuries. Time to head out!"
Whoosh…
He flickers out of the hospital.
'I should check on Sasuke, Tatsuya, and Boruto. They have yet to leave for their timeline.'
Shoom…
He opens a portal to the secret headquarter and enters it.
Hmm…
Izuna enters the small space and notices the Konoha group studying the remains of the Otsutsuki puppets.
"Any progress?!"
Izuna asks them.
"Yes, we have found some clue regarding the power source of these puppets."
Adult Sasuke nods his head and produces a small piece of stone to Izuna.
"This is the shattered core of the Otsutsuki puppets."
Hmm…
Izuna grabs the core and flips it in his hand.
"There is some strange chakra flowing through this rock. Back then, during the fight, I failed to notice it because of the heat of the battle. But now you mention it."
Swoosh…
Izuna forks out a similar smaller rock from his storage.
"This is the remains of the meteorite which crashed in Land of bears two hundred years ago. They created the hidden village of Hoshigakure around this rock."
Izuna passes the rock to Sasuke.
"Oh! I remember that mission. The shinobis in that village used a peculiar chakra to perform their unique ninjutsu. They would release purple chakra from their body and manifest it in the form of a feather-shaped array behind them.
It would drastically improve their capabilities, but the cost was too steep to use. I remembered Naruto shattered this rock to prevent the Hoshigakure ninja from misusing it."
Sasuke picks the rock and compares it to the core of the puppet.
"Indeed! Naruto shattered the meteor. But since this meteorite had such marvelous effects on the abilities of a Ninja, I picked up the remains of the meteorite to study them.
Even the R&D department of Konoha is studying this meteorite. In the end, they concluded that this rock doesn't belong to this world. Looks like they were right! It's related to Otsutsuki." Izuna briefs him on the origin of the rock.
"I see! Maybe I will look into their study after I return." Sasuke makes a mental note.
"Still, the energy in this rock isn't beneficial for human use. It will slowly corrode the chakra system, physical body, and the will of the user and eventually make them a puppet of the rock."
"Maybe it's the part of the reason, Otsutsuki uses this rock as the power source for their puppets. Those puppets were autonomous and rarely required any instructions." Tatsuya points out.
"Yes, that makes sense! Anyway, studying these puppets will explain a lot about the technological advancement of the Otsutsuki clan. Also, the energy weaponry of these puppets is quite powerful; to be able to easily pierce through a Susanoo."
Izuna picks up a dull blade with many Fuinjutsu arrays and symbols on it.
"Just leave a single puppet behind and take the rest to the future."
Izuna picks up a puppet and stores the rest in a scroll and passes it to Sasuke.
"Also, you should watch out for the Otsutsuki clan members. I am sure they won't remain underlying after this defeat. This is a major blow to their clan. They lost three of their main family members in this small world. The situation will turn more chaotic in the future."
Izuna steps out of the small dimension as Sasuke and Tatsuya follow him.
"Also…"
Izuna raises his head and stares at the moon.
"You should visit your distant cousin on the moon. I am sure he would be in a pinch and requires saving!"
"Eh?!"
Adult Sasuke and Tatsuya's eyes widen in surprise.
"You knew about him!" Sasuke asks him in shock.
"Of course! Who do you think am I? A shinobi must keep his friends close, and enemies closer!"
Izuna smiles at them.
"I think it's about time for you folks to return to your time. Prolonging your stay here would only have negative consequences."
Whoosh…
The three of them flickers towards the village.
"Pick Boruto up and meet me on top of the Hokage Monument!" Izuna teleports away.
----------
Inside the Yakiniku-Q,
"Damn! I am still having goosebumps from that day!"
Naruto picks up a piece of meat as he slowly chews it.
"Well, it is the matter of the grown-ups! I am sure they must have sorted it out!"
Shikamaru picks up a piece of meat and dips it in the sauce.
"Yes, I agree with him. It's not our place to worry!"
Neji nods his head.
"We should instead focus on our training." He continues.
"Training?! What a pain!" Shikamaru eats his piece of meat.
Haha…
"That's so like Shikamaru!"
The rest of the group burst out in laughter.
Sigh…
Boruto sighs as he stares at this group.
"Come on! What's up with this sullen face?" Naruto nudges him.
"It's not like that! It's just… it's just I will return to my village!" Boruto sighs helplessly.
"Heh! You are leaving already!" Naruto has a sad expression.
"I guess! I can't stay here forever!" Boruto sighs in melancholy.
"We will miss you!" Choji offers a packet of potato chips.
"This is for you! You won't find it anywhere!"
"Thank you!" Boruto picks up the packet.
"Before you leave, come with me to my house. I want to give you something!"
Naruto drags Boruto out of the restaurant.
"Hey, Naruto! At least pay your share of the bill!" Kiba yells at him.
"Here!" Sasuke places a stack of Ryo and dashes after Naruto.
"Damn it! This Naruto and Sasuke! They always ignore me." Kiba grinds his teeth.
"It's ok, Kiba! You can always compete for the third spot!"
Shino gently pats his back.
Back at Naruto's house,
Boruto silently stares at the house and remarks.
"It's totally different from my memory. Looks like they rebuild it. As much as I would like to meet, Grandpa and Grandma; it's a bad idea to meet with them. Also, Grandma would…"
Boruto strokes his head.
"I don't want to be the target of her anger again! I guess I will pass on the idea."
"Here!"
Naruto dashes out of the house with a bag.
"It's my gift for you!" He flashes a smile.
"Thank you!" Boruto thanks him.
"Boruto! It's about time we leave!"
Adult Sasuke flickers beside Boruto.
"Then see you later!" Naruto waves his hand.
"The next time you see me I will be the Hokage, Dattebyo!" Naruto thumbs up at Boruto.
"I guess you will really be a Hokage the next time we meet." Boruto nods his head with a smile.
Whoosh…
Adult Sasuke grabs Boruto and flickers away.
Whoosh…
Young Sasuke flickers towards Naruto and asks him.
"Who was that man?"
"Oh! He! He was Boruto's guardian!"
Hmm…
'Why do I feel like I know him?' Sasuke stares in the direction of Boruto's departure.
"Forget that! Let's prepare for Nii-san's wedding. It will be a big occasion tomorrow!"
Naruto drags him away.
--------------
On top of the Hokage Monument,
Whoosh…
Izuna appears in front of Boruto, Sasuke, and Tatsuya.
"Hah! As much as I would like you guys to stay for my wedding! I don't think it is a good idea. There will lots of people tomorrow and it might affect some events if any of them notice you."
He turns towards Tatsuya and passes a scroll to him.
"This is a gift for your mother! I am sure she would like it."
He passes another few scrolls to him.
"This is for Ayaka! Mom! Dad! Shisui! Itachi!"
Tatsuya is buried under the scrolls.
Ehehe…
Sasuke and Tatsuya smiles warily.
"Let's place everything in a single storage!"
Izuna turns towards Sasuke and Boruto.
"Here!" He gives a scroll to Sasuke.
"This is for my niece, Sarada!"
"Nii-san, you?!" Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise.
Shh…
"I told you earlier! I know far more things than you expect!"
He passes a few more gifts to Sasuke.
"I think that covers everyone! Next!"
Izuna turns towards Boruto and taps his forehead.
"You remind of the current Naruto!"
"Really?!" Boruto is excited to hear this.
"But in a bad way!"
These words pour a bucket of cold water on him.
"Your potential to grow is far greater than Naruto and you have a very powerful hidden power lying dormant in you!"
Izuna points towards his right eye.
"You know about it!" Sasuke, Tatsuya and Boruto ask in unison.
"Of course!" Izuna rolls his eyes.
"Jōgan is a double-edged sword. It will prove to be a powerful tool against your battle with the Otsutsuki clan!
Its potential is on par with Rine-Sharingan or maybe even higher. Both Sasuke and I had to work quite hard to awaken our Rinnegan, and yet you are born with such power from birth! Honestly! I am speechless!"
Izuna shakes his head.
'That's the protagonist for you!'
"Anyway! What I mean to say is, Jogan is a power that is strongly inherited from the Otsutsuki clan. This power will try to tempt and erode your mentality as you use it. It requires a strong will to wield this power and resist the temptation and not lose yourself to this power. I believe you can do it!"
Izuna pats Boruto's head.
"As for the troublesome stuff!"